Apparatus and method for automatically running multimedia data received in mobile communication terminal

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for automatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communication terminal. The apparatus comprises: a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) message generating unit for generating MMS message, setting up run time, at which multimedia data or application included in the MMS message is run; an MMS message transceiver unit for transmitting the MMS message to a first MMS client and receiving MMS message from a second MMS client; an MMS message analyzing unit for analyzing the MMS message and for setting up run time for the multimedia data or application according to the run time set up in the MMS message, if the run time for the multimedia data or application is set up in the MMS message; and a multimedia data/application running unit for automatically running the multimedia data or application when it comes the run time set up by the MMS message analyzing unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The entire disclosure of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-0080510filed on Nov. 14, 2003 including specification, claims, drawings andsummary, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal, making it possible to automatically run multimedia data or anapplication received through a multimedia messaging service.

2. Background of the Related Art

Generally, a multimedia message service (MMS) is a next-generationmessage service exchanging a large quantity of messages includingmultimedia such as a text, a music file and a moving picture file, etc.,using a wireless internet based mobile communication terminal, contraryto an existing short message service (SMS) transmitting a simple textmessage.

As described above, mobile communication subscribers can transmit andreceive various formats of multimedia message using the MMS. The mobilecommunication terminal, which received a multimedia message through theMMS, informs the subscriber of a message reception through, for example,a buzzer sound and the mobile communication subscriber, who perceivedthe message reception, runs the received message through a keyoperation.

Like above, the prior MMS has a problem in that the MMS just transmits amessage including multimedia data such as a music file and a movingpicture image, etc. to a mobile communication subscriber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve theabove-mentioned problems occurring in the related art. The object of thepresent invention is to provide an apparatus and a method forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal, which sets up and adds a run time to a header part of an MMSmessage and thus makes it possible for a mobile communication terminalto automatically run multimedia data or an application included in theMMS message at the set run time.

In order to accomplish the object, there is provided an apparatus forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal comprising: a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) messagegenerating unit for generating MMS message, setting up run time, atwhich multimedia data or application included in the MMS message is run,in a header part of the MMS message; and an MMS message transmittingunit for transmitting the MMS message generated in the MMS messagegenerating unit to a first MMS client.

Preferably, the apparatus for automatically running multimedia datareceived in a mobile communication terminal may further comprise: an MMSmessage receiving unit for receiving MMS message from a second MMSclient; an MMS message analyzing unit for making a multimediadata/application storage unit store the multimedia data or applicationincluded in the MMS message received through the MMS receiving unit, foranalyzing the header part of the MMS message, and for setting up runtime for the multimedia data or application according to the run timeset up in the header part of the MMS message, if the run time for themultimedia data or application is set up in the header part of the MMSmessage; and a multimedia data/application running unit forautomatically running the multimedia data or application stored in themultimedia data/application storage unit when it comes the run time setup by the MMS message analyzing unit.

Preferably, the MMS message may comprise: a data part for recording themultimedia data or application therein; and a header part for setting uptherein at least one of a message type, a message size, callerinformation, recipient information and a run time, at which themultimedia data or application recorded in the data part is run.

Preferably, the multimedia data may comprise at least one of a text, amusic file and a moving picture image.

Preferably, the application may be at least one of a group consisting ofa call set-up application and a location track application.

Alternatively, there is provided another apparatus for automaticallyrunning multimedia data received in a mobile communication terminalcomprising: a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) message generating unitfor generating MMS message, setting up run time, at which multimediadata or application included in the MMS message is run, in a header partof the MMS message; an MMS message transceiver unit for transmitting theMMS message generated in the MMS message generating unit to a first MMSclient and receiving MMS message from a second MMS client; an MMSmessage analyzing unit for making a multimedia data/application storageunit store the multimedia data or application included in the MMSmessage received through the MMS transceiver unit, for analyzing theheader part of the MMS message, and for setting up run time for themultimedia data or application according to the run time set up in theheader part of the MMS message, if the run time for the multimedia dataor application is set up in the header part of the MMS message; and amultimedia data/application running unit for automatically running themultimedia data or application stored in the multimedia data/applicationstorage unit when it comes the run time set up by the MMS messageanalyzing unit.

Preferably, the MMS message may comprise: a data part for recording themultimedia data or application therein; and a header part for setting uptherein at least one of a message type, a message size, callerinformation, recipient information and a run time, at which themultimedia data or application recorded in the data part is run.

Preferably, the multimedia data may comprise at least one of a text, amusic file and a moving picture image.

Preferably, the application may be at least one of a group consisting ofa call set-up application and a location track application.

Alternatively, there is provided a method for automatically runningmultimedia data received in a mobile communication terminal comprisingacts of: generating at transmitting side Multimedia Message Service(MMS) client an MMS message having information on a run time formultimedia data or application included in the MMS message andtransmitting the MMS message to receiving side MMS client; and analyzingthe MMS message at the receiving side MMS client, and running themultimedia data or application included in the MMS message at thereceiving side MMS client if the run time for the multimedia data orapplication is set up in the MMS message.

Preferably, the act of generating and transmitting the MMS message maycomprise: generating the MMS message, with setting up run time, at whichthe multimedia data or application included in the MMS message is run,in a header part of the MMS message; and transmitting the MMS message tothe receiving side MMS client.

Preferably, the act of analyzing and running the MMS message maycomprise: analyzing a header part of the MMS message at the receivingside MMS client and judging whether the run time is set up or not; ifthe run time is set up, setting up a run time at which the multimediadata or application included in the MMS message is run, based on the runtime originally set up in the header part of the MMS message; andautomatically running the multimedia data or application included in theMMS message when it comes the run time set up at the receiving side MMSclient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of an MMS system to which a preferredembodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of an MMS message applied to a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view illustrating a structure of an apparatus forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for illustrating a method for automaticallyrunning multimedia data received in a mobile communication terminalaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription of the present invention, a detailed description of knownfunctions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when itmay make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of an MMS system to which a preferredembodiment of the present invention is applied, which comprises MMSclients 10, 70, a wireless application protocol (WAP) gateway 20, an MMSproxy/relay 30, an MMS server 40, an MMS system 50 and an e-mail server60.

With such a construction, a transmitting side MMS client, such as theMMS client A 10, generates an MMS message, initialize a WAP session andtransmits the MMS message to a receiving side MMS client, such as theMMS client B 70, via a wireless session protocol/hypertext transferprotocol (WSP/HTTP). The receiving side MMS client then analyzes the MMSmessage received from the transmitting side MMS client. When generatingthe MMS message at the transmitting side MMS client, the transmittingside MMS client sets up a run time at which multimedia data or anapplication included in the multimedia message is run.

The WAP gateway 20 is provided to the MMS proxy/relay 30, and transmitsthe multimedia message to the receiving side MMS client, interworkingwith a web server (not shown) for transmitting the MMS message to thereceiving side MMS client.

The MMS proxy/relay 30 interworks with an internet protocol (IP)network, processes the multimedia message received from the transmittingside MMS client by retrieving a receiver's profile, and executesfunctions of checking the present states of messages or sources andsystem statistics to process the multimedia message.

The MMS server 40 stores and manages the multimedia message.

The MMS system 50 provides a wireless multimedia message service througha corresponding MMS mode.

The e-mail server 60 receives the multimedia message, interworking withthe transmitting side MMS client such as a PC, via an Internet.

FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of an MMS message applied to a preferredembodiment of the present invention. The MMS message comprises an MMSmessage header part (a) where information on a message type, a messageversion, a message size and a run time(year/month/day/hour/minute/second), caller information and recipientinformation are set up, and an MMS message data part (b) wheremultimedia data or an application are recorded.

The length, contents and orders of the MMS message header part (a) arevariable and different according to a service supported. The MMS messageheader part (a) further comprises header information having a structureas following and supports a function of setting up the run time.

Struct tag_mms_runtime_stamp

{

-   -   unsigned int year//Year 4-digit. 0000-9999 binary        -   unsigned int month//Month 2-digit 1-12 binary        -   unsigned int day//Day 2-digit 1-31 binary        -   unsigned int hour//Hour 2-digit 0-23 binary        -   unsigned int min//Min 2-digit 0-59 binary        -   unsigned int sec//Second 2-digit 0-59 binary        -   };

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view illustrating a structure of an apparatus forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.The apparatus comprises an MMS message transceiver unit 11, an MMSmessage generating unit 13, an MMS message analyzing unit 15, amultimedia data/application storage unit 17 and a multimediadata/application running unit 19.

With such a construction, the MMS message transceiver unit 11 transmitsan MMS message generated in the MMS message generating unit 13 to areceiving side MMS client via a WSP/HTTP and receives MMS message from atransmitting side MMS client.

The MMS message generating unit 13 generates an MMS message to betransmitted to the receiving side MMS client. At this time, the MMSmessage generating unit 13 sets up a run time, at which multimedia dataor an application included in the MMS message is automatically run atthe receiving side MMS client, in the MMS message header part (a). TheMMS message generating unit 13 then transmits the generated MMS messageto the receiving side MMS client by transmitting the MMS message to theMMS message transceiver unit 11 of the receiving side MMS client.

The MMS message analyzing unit 15 makes the multimedia data/applicationstorage unit 17 store the multimedia data or application included in thedata part of the MMS message received through the MMS messagetransceiver unit 11, analyzes the header part (a) of the MMS message andthus judges whether the run time, at which the multimedia data or theapplication included in the data part (b) of the MMS message is run, isset up or not. If the run time is set up, the MMS message analyzing unitsets up a time at which the multimedia data or application isautomatically run.

The multimedia data/application storage unit 17 stores the multimediadata or application received through the MMS message analyzing unit 15.

The multimedia data/application running unit 19 runs the multimedia dataor the application stored in the multimedia data/application storageunit 17 when it comes the time set up by the MMS message analyzing unit15.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for illustrating a method for automaticallyrunning multimedia data received in a mobile communication terminalaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Firstly, an MMS message, which is transmitted to the receiving side MMSclient from the transmitting side MMS client, is generated (S10).

When generating the MMS message, a run time, at which the multimediadata or the application included in the MMS message is automaticallyplayed or run at the receiving side MMS client after receiving the MMSmessage, is set up.

Then, a WAP session is initialized and the MMS message is transmitted tothe receiving side MMS client via a WSP/HTTP. At this time, thetransmitting side MMS client transmits the MMS message to the receivingside MMS client using a WAP Push (S12).

Meanwhile, after initializing the WAP session, the receiving side MMSclient, which received the MMS message, analyzes a header part of theMMS message and thus judges whether the run time is set up or not (S14,S16, S18).

As a result of the judgment in the step S18, if the run time is set up,a time for automatically running the multimedia data or applicationincluded in the MMS message is set up using an alarm function, based onthe run time set up in the header part of the MMS message (S20).

When setting up the run time using the alarm function in the step S20,the run time is set up with information on the MMS message todistinguish the run time from the existing alarm time.

Then, it is judged whether or not it comes the run time set up in thestep S20 (S22).

As a result of the judgment in the step S22, when it comes the run time,the multimedia data or application included in the MMS message is playedor run (S24).

Meanwhile, as a result of the judgment in the step S18, if the run timeis not set up, a message reception is informed to a subscriber through abuzzer sound as the prior art and the received MMS message is stored ina memory unit (S26).

The subscriber, who perceived the message reception through the stepS26, runs the received message through a key operation.

Hereinafter, a method for automatically running multimedia data receivedin a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodimentof the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to4.

When a transmitting side MMS client transmits an MMS message including amusic file to a receiving side MMS client, the transmitting side MMSclient generates the MMS message, setting up a time at which the musicfile included in the MMS message is run, for example, 10:30:00, Sep. 30,2003.

After that, the transmitting side MMS client transmits the MMS messageto the receiving side MMS client via a WAP gateway 20.

As described above, the MMS message, which is transmitted by thetransmitting side MMS client, is delivered to the receiving side MMSclient via an MMS proxy/relay 30 and an MMS system 50, etc. Thereceiving side MMS client, which received the MMS message, analyzes aheader part (a) of the received MMS message. If a time, at which themusic file included in the MMS message is run, is set up, the receivingside MMS client sets up a time (10:30:00, Sep. 30, 2003), at which themusic file is run, with an alarm function, based on the run time set upin the header part (a) of the MMS message.

After that, when it comes the run time (10:30:00, Sep. 30, 2003) setwith the alarm function, the receiving side MMS client automaticallyplays the music file included in the MMS message.

Meanwhile, when the transmitting side MMS client transmits an MMSmessage including an application related to a call/location track to thereceiving side MMS client, the transmitting side MMS client generatesthe MMS message, setting up a time at which the application included inthe MMS message is run (for example, instant running).

After that, the transmitting side MMS client transmits the MMS messageto the receiving side MMS client via the WAP gateway 20.

As described above, the MMS message, which is transmitted by thetransmitting side MMS client, is delivered to the receiving side MMSclient via the MMS proxy/relay 30 and the MMS system 50, etc. Thereceiving side MMS client, which received the MMS message, analyzes aheader part (a) of the received MMS message. If a time, at which theapplication included in the MMS message is run, is set up(for example,instant running), the receiving side MMS client immediately runs theapplication included in the MMS message, based on the time set up in theMMS message.

At this time, when the application included in the MMS message is a callset-up application, the receiving side MMS client automatically runs acall set-up with the transmitting side MMS client. When the applicationincluded in the MMS message is a location track application, thereceiving side MMS client identifies its current location and informsthe transmitting side MMS client of the current location.

As described above, according to the present invention, a run time isadded to a header part of an MMS message. Accordingly, a mobilecommunication terminal, which received the MMS message, automaticallyruns the multimedia data or application included in the MMS message onthe set run time and thus more diverse functions and services can beprovided.

While the present invention has been shown and described with referenceto certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1. Apparatus for automatically running multimedia data received in amobile communication terminal comprising: a Multimedia Message Service(MMS) message generating unit for generating MMS message, setting up runtime, at which multimedia data or application included in the MMSmessage is run, in a header part of the MMS message; and an MMS messagetransmitting unit for transmitting the MMS message generated in the MMSmessage generating unit to a first MMS client.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: an MMS message receiving unitfor receiving MMS message from a second MMS client; an MMS messageanalyzing unit for making a multimedia data/application storage unitstore the multimedia data or application included in the MMS messagereceived through the MMS receiving unit, for analyzing the header partof the MMS message, and for setting up run time for the multimedia dataor application according to the run time set up in the header part ofthe MMS message, if the run time for the multimedia data or applicationis set up in the header part of the MMS message; and a multimediadata/application running unit for automatically running the multimediadata or application stored in the multimedia data/application storageunit when it comes the run time set up by the MMS message analyzingunit.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the MMS messagecomprises: a data part for recording the multimedia data or applicationtherein; and a header part for setting up therein at least one of amessage type, a message size, caller information, recipient informationand a run time, at which the multimedia data or application recorded inthe data part is run.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein themultimedia data comprises at least one of a text, a music file and amoving picture image.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theapplication is at least one of a group consisting of a call set-upapplication and a location track application.
 6. The apparatus accordingto claim 2, wherein the MMS message comprises: a data part for recordingthe multimedia data or application therein; and a header part forsetting up therein at least one of a message type, a message size,caller information, recipient information and a run time, at which themultimedia data or application recorded in the data part is run.
 7. Theapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the multimedia data comprises atleast one of a text, a music file and a moving picture image.
 8. Theapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the application is at least oneof a group consisting of a call set-up application and a location trackapplication.
 9. An apparatus for automatically running multimedia datareceived in a mobile communication terminal comprising: a MultimediaMessage Service (MMS) message generating unit for generating MMSmessage, setting up run time, at which multimedia data or applicationincluded in the MMS message is run, in a header part of the MMS message;an MMS message transceiver unit for transmitting the MMS messagegenerated in the MMS message generating unit to a first MMS client andreceiving MMS message from a second MMS client; an MMS message analyzingunit for making a multimedia data/application storage unit store themultimedia data or application included in the MMS message receivedthrough the MMS transceiver unit, for analyzing the header part of theMMS message, and for setting up run time for the multimedia data orapplication according to the run time set up in the header part of theMMS message, if the run time for the multimedia data or application isset up in the header part of the MMS message; and a multimediadata/application running unit for automatically running the multimediadata or application stored in the multimedia data/application storageunit when it comes the run time set up by the MMS message analyzingunit.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, the MMS message comprises:a data part for recording the multimedia data or application therein;and a header part for setting up therein at least one of a message type,a message size, caller information, recipient information and a runtime, at which the multimedia data or application recorded in the datapart is run.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein themultimedia data comprises at least one of a text, a music file and amoving picture image.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 9, whereinthe application is at least one of a group consisting of a call set-upapplication and a location track application.
 13. A method forautomatically running multimedia data received in a mobile communicationterminal comprising acts of: generating at transmitting side MultimediaMessage Service (MMS) client an MMS message having information on a runtime for multimedia data or application included in the MMS message andtransmitting the MMS message to receiving side MMS client; and analyzingthe MMS message at the receiving side MMS client, and running themultimedia data or application included in the MMS message at thereceiving side MMS client if the run time for the multimedia data orapplication is set up in the MMS message.
 14. The method according toclaim 13, wherein the act of generating and transmitting the MMS messagecomprises: generating the MMS message, with setting up run time, atwhich the multimedia data or application included in the MMS message isrun, in a header part of the MMS message; and transmitting the MMSmessage to the receiving side MMS client.
 15. The method according toclaim 13, wherein the act of analyzing and running the MMS messagecomprises: analyzing a header part of the MMS message at the receivingside MMS client and judging whether the run time is set up or not; ifthe run time is set up, setting up a run time at which the multimediadata or application included in the MMS message is run, based on the runtime originally set up in the header part of the MMS message; andautomatically running the multimedia data or application included in theMMS message when it comes the run time set up at the receiving side MMSclient.